The Morning of the Reaping
by dandelioninthespringg
Summary: When a certain girl visits Peeta Mellark at his family bakery, his life is turned upside down. She seems to understand how he feels about missing his father and distrusting his mother.
1. Chapter 1

The smell of coal dust lingered in the frigid morning air. The smell was almost unbearable, but I was used to it. The smell would always travel from the Seam, up to here. The Seam is the place where the poor people live. I stretch my hand out, and then lay, staring up at the cracked ceiling above me. I am relaxed until I start to think about the stability of the roof above me. It could collapse any minute, I think to myself, although it's highly unlikely.

"Peeta, come downstairs!" My mother's tone isn't any different to what it is other days, but it still makes me shiver.

"Coming... mother." I groan, barely squeezing the word 'mother' out. It's hard to call her that, because of the way she treats me. I don't think that mothers treat their children the way mine does.

I close my eyes for a brief moment and then I force them open again. I stumble downstairs rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Good morning," I yawn.

I catch a glimpse of my older brothers, Rye and Wheat. Their solemn faces, stare blankly at their bread as they rip chunks off it and shove them into their mouths, almost as if they are blissfully unaware of anything around them. I know why they're so miserable. Today is the Reaping. Everyone, even those who are safe from being chosen as a tribute, are miserable today. This is my last year of freedom. The last year, I don't live in fear of my name being picked out of thousands from a circular, glass bowl.

I grab a slice of bread, and do as they are, slowly eating it, even though I don't have much of an appetite. What else am I supposed to do? Sit and watch them as they prepare for the most uncertain moment of their life. The moment that could decide their life or their death.

"Peeta! Who said that you could eat yet?" My mother's harsh voice rings out across the room, even startling my brothers, "Go! Make yourself useful! Bake bread! You father isn't here anymore to do it!"

Her piercing blue eyes meet mine and I instantly get up. I half walk, half run to the kitchen. I clean my hands and spread flour out across the bench. I knead the dough. My hands working diligently while my eyes sting with tears. She brought up dad. My mind flashes to images of him walking near the mines then the explosion that changed my life forever. Oh, how I wish that he didn't go to the Seam that morning. I still don't know why he did. Sometimes when I really miss my dad, I put on his apron, and somehow, I feel as though he is hugging me tightly, comforting me, reassuring me that all is alright. So, that's exactly what I do. I fasten the apron around my waist and neck and I can slightly smell the soft, unmistakable scent of my father. I let a tear roll down my cheek as I hear the bakery bell chime. I don't look up. I don't want whoever just walked in to see the state I'm in. I hear footsteps nearing the counter and then there's silence. It would've been awkward if I was looking at this person. Luckily I don't look up.

Suddenly I hear them cough and I can't help but look up to see a small, fragile girl with black hair that is in a braid and grey eyes. I blink, suddenly knowing that the girl that stands before me is Katniss Everdeen. The girl I have loved ever since I laid eyes on her when we were five.

***Flashback***

_"Bye, daddy!"_

_"Bye, Peeta."_

_I stay, staring at my father for awhile when he says, "Quick! You don't want to be late for your fist class!"_

_I nod and smile, before turning around and skipping to my first class for the day; music._

_"Good Morning children! How are you all?" Ms Cleft, my music teacher asks in a perky voice._

_"Good!" We chorus._

_"Very well! I've got a question for you!" She informs us in a mysterious tone, engaging me and my classmates._

_"I was wondering if any of you knew the Valley Song!"_

_She looks at us hopefully. I look around waiting to see if anyone would be brave enough to sing in front of people they had never met before. When it looked like nobody was going to raise their hand, a small hand shot up. It almost got lost in the crowd._

_Ms Cleft looks absolutely delighted, "How about you come up and sing it for us?" She exclaims._

_The little girl stood up confidently and made her way to the front of the room where my music teacher waited eagerly._

_The little girl had her hair in two braids and she had the same piercing grey eyes I'm staring at right now. "What's your name, darling?"_

_"Katniss! Katniss Everdeen!"_

***Reality***

I snap out of my stupor when she wipes a tear from my cheek and whispers, "why are you crying?"

"It's n-nothing!"

"It must be something! You wouldn't be crying for no reason!" She pushes.

I peer up again to see her eyes trained on me, awaiting answers.

"Fine. I'm just grieving over my - uh - father."

Her expression turns solemn and suddenly I feel bad for no apparent reason.

She turns away and I suddenly feel an emptiness inside of me when I think that she's leaving. But, instead of heading out the door, she lifts the countertop flap and walks towards me. Then something unexpected happens. She embraces me and whispers, "Don't worry. I lost my father in a mining accident."

I nod telling her that my father died in a mining accident as well. That's when she pulls away and stares at me, confused. I know what she's thinking, your father worked here how could he possibly be in the mines.

"He was walking near them one day and - and" I stutter, answering her unspoken question.

Her mouth forms an 'O' shape and she looks away as if she's embarrassed. Then I hug her and surprisingly she doesn't pull away. She hugs me back. We stay like that for what seems like forever when my mother yells, "Peeta! Get back here, now!"

I roll my eyes and break away, unhappy of the disruption.

"Will I - uh - ever see you again?" Katniss asks timidly, her eyes trained on her dusty boots.

"Yes. I'd like that." I answer, smiling at her.

The corners of her mouth curl up into a grin and we stare at each other. My mother yells again, startling Katniss. "Well I better go..." Katniss starts to walk away but she turns on her heel and kisses me on the cheek before running off.

Just as she opens the door she smiles at me before disappearing into the busy streets.


	2. Chapter 2

"Yes, mother."

"Peeta, there you are! I need you to stop being a waste of space and go change into the nicest clothes you have. Have you forgotten? It's Reapin' Day!" The sound of her voice makes me cringe.

"I'll go get changed then. I'll make sure I look extra special so that we can celebrate after one of our friends is sent to fight to the death!" I say sarcastically. As soon as the words roll out of my mouth, I regret it.

My mother raises her hand and before I can prapare, she has slapped my cheek. The pain is somewhat bearable compared to other times, but eventually, my right cheek starts to sting. I grimace at the constant throbbing in my cheek as I slump up the stairs to my bedroom.

As I enter the bathroom, I'm sure to lock the door, so I get a few minutes alone. I stare into the mirror, and noticing that my cheek has swollen a little. Actually, not a little.. a lot. I rub it in an effort to rid of the pain but my efforts are futile. The stinging returns again and I am left to bear with the agony. I splash my face with water; my last hope in taming the pain in my cheek, but it doesn't do much, if anything.

I exit the bathroom and go to my bedroom, once again locking the door purely for some privacy. I open my closet and pick out the first shirt and dress pants I see. Once I've got my pants and shirt on, I realise that they aren't very clean, but I don't really mind. My only question is, will mother mind? I've already been hit once today, surely she won't do it again. Even if she does, I'm sort of used to it.

I tuck my shirt into my pants, creasing the fabric even more and then head back into the bathroom to see how I look. I smooth out my ashy blond hair and when I think I'm ready, I go downstairs again.

"Hey Peet." I'm greeted quite unenthusiastically by Wheat.

"Hey." I sound a little more happy than I should at this point.

"You look handsome, little bro," he says, getting out of his chair and hugging me, "almost as handsome as me."

I laugh. "You wish."

He rolls his eyes at me.

"I'm gonna go now, I need to go see where Rye is. See you at the... Reaping." He grimaces as he speaks the last word.

Wheat and Rye are twins. They don't resemble each other much, but there are a few noticeable similarities, like their nose shape and their blue eyes. Wheat seems to look more like my mother, much to his despise. He possesses many of the same attributes of my mother such as her chestnut brown hair and pale skin. Rye looks more like dad. He has his ashy blond hair and darker skin in comparison to Wheat - much like me. Rye and I look more like twins, really.

I decide to go and see Delly, one of my many best friends. She looks a little like me as well, with her blond hair that falls in subtle curls down her back and her blue eyes, that are so clear you could see your reflection through them - literally.

I slip a coat over my shirt, just in case it's cold, but it's springtime, so I don't think it's necessary. I walk out the door and rub my cheek. The swelling has gone down a little, but I'm sure that if you looked at me, you would notice and big lump on my cheek. Now I know how to put my jacket to use. I can bury my chin in my coat and cover my cheek. It will look a little weird, walking through the streets with my eyes trained on the ground, but I do it anyway.

As I walk I pass multiple Peacekeepers in clean, white body suits. They are the law enforcers in each district. They are supposed to be brutal and cruel by shaming those who commit crimes, but the Peacekeepers in District 12 are careless, and don't mind. For example, most Peacekeepers are completely aware of a black market that is run in the Seam called the Hob, but they don't mind. Our district has never ever seen a public whipping or execution, but there is no doubt in my mind that it occurs at least once a week in other districts. As my father once said, all is not what it seems. District 12 may seem quite safe - apart from the starvation and threat of the Hunger Games - but it doesn't mean that other districts are the same.

Once I reach Delly's I knock on her door, awaiting her presence. Her mother answers the door, and tells me that Delly will be here in a minute, so I wait. Like her mother said, Delly comes out after a minute or so and she smiles, "Hey Peet, what's up?"

"Not much. Just getting ready for the Reaping."

"Yeah same. I hate it." She whispers and I can't help but laugh.

We both despise the Capitol and their ways.

"Peeta." She continues and I look up from the ground, "did she hit you again?"

Delly cups my cheek, examining it.

"Yeah, but I had a pretty good morning actually!" I smile as I think of Katniss.

"Really? Why? What happened?" The excitement in her voice is unmistakeable.

"Well-" I start, but Delly interrupts.

"It's about Katniss, isn't it! Oh, I knew you guys were a cute couple!" She squeals.

She's so intuitive. She knows things even if you don't tell her.

I smile, "Yeah, she - uh - came to talk to me and you know..."

"You kissed!" She squeals again. This time she was wrong.

"No - uh - she hugged me, that's all." I left out the part about her kissing my cheek because I knew she would overreact.

"Awwww..." She bats her eyelashes, "You guys are so cute!"

"Delly, please. She hadn't even noticed me until today, plus, you see how much time she spends with Gale." I remind her, "She'll never even think about liking me."

"Peet, stop putting yourself down!"

I shrug my shoulders, staring into the distance. I catch a glimpse of Katniss making her way to the towns square. She sees me and smiles and waves. I wave back and we smile at each other until her mum pulls her away faster.

"Was that who I thought it was? And did she... smile at you?!"

"Uh - maybe..." I admit.

"See?" She smirks, "Anyway, come on, let's go to the towns square, we don't want to be late for the Reaping."

"May the odds be ever in your favour!" I mock the Capitol accent as best as I can, but it's pretty bad and Delly snickers at my attempt.

"Wait here."

I do as she says and a few minutes later she comes back with an ice block. Here, put this on your cheek and just before we arrive, take it off. We don't want you talking to Katniss with a piece of ice on your face." She giggles.

I laugh with her, and as much as I hate saying it, for once I actually feel good on the day of the Reaping.

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**A.N: Hi all, this is my first attempt at a fanfiction/story. I hope you liked it. If you did, review, follow and favourite because I'm not sure if I should continue the story! Let me know! Also, if there are any suggestions let me know! :)? PS: Hope you enjoyed the first two chapters!**

**-Claudia**


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